Telecom buys crowdfunding website

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The Telecom Foundation has bought Givealittle.co.nz, a website designed to help people fundraise for various causes - themselves included.

The Telecom Foundation is "the umbrella for all of Telecom's charitable activity", according to the foundation's website.

In addition to buying Givealittle, the foundation has removed all fees for donating to a cause.

"We're really excited that 100 per cent of every dollar donated on the site will now get through to the causes New Zealanders want to support," said Telecom Foundation chair Bob Harvey.

"Givealittle.co.nz will now be the Telecom Foundation's primary vehicle to encourage and facilitate generosity in New Zealand. Under Telecom Foundation's stewardship, we believe Givealittle has the potential to be the Trade Me of online fundraising."

Givealittle is not like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo, where people donate to a project and expect something in return. Rather, Givealittle is simply a website where people go to give.

Projects range from the very worthy - such as donating to a child's cancer treatment, or to the families affected by the Pike River disaster - to just plain odd.

The Telecom Foundation said in the past funds had been raised toward racing across Mongolia on horseback and living in a snow cave.

Many have taken to Givealittle to ask for donations that supplement existing charity drives, such as Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand's Shave for a Cure campaign.

Givealittle has raised $2.3 million for New Zealand causes in the four years since its inception.